This invention relates to an adjustable, disposable garment protector useful to protect the garments of a user from spills, dropped food and the like during the consumption of food and beverages, particularly fast food beverages. The invention also relates to a convertible food bag and a method for packaging the disposable garment protector and a method for disposing of the disposable garment protector and its contents after use.
Garment protectors have been used to protect the front of infants during feeding or dining and diners eating particularly messy foods such as lobsters and the like for many years. However, most such garment protectors simply consist of a cloth-like garment protector supported at the back of the neck of a user and do nothing to catch liquids or foods which may be spilled on the garment protector and pass downwardly over the surface of the garment protector and onto the garments of the user.
Such garment protectors do not serve the needs of modem consumers who frequently purchase food at fast food drive-ins or drive-throughs for consumption in an automotive vehicle while moving on crowded roadways and the like. Garment protectors for such use should not only be easily disposable but they should also provide a means for containing any waste materials spilled and provide for a method of disposing of both any spilled food particles, liquids and the like as well as the garment protector itself after the user has finished dining.
Accordingly, a continuing search has been directed to the development of a disposable garment protector which protects the garments of a user while dining in automobiles, school cafeterias, offices, picnicking, or like activities and provides for the disposal of any spilled or dropped food particles, liquids or packaging and for the disposal of the garment protector itself.
According to the present invention, an adjustable disposable garment protector is provided and comprises a protector support adapted to support the garment protector from the neck of a user; a protector cover having a front surface and a back surface, a first side and a second side, a first and a second end and supported at its first end by the protector support in a position covering a front portion of the chest and stomach of the user; and, a pouch positioned on the second end of the protector cover, the pouch having a top end and a bottom end, a front and a back and being formed to fold to one of a first closed position for storage and a second opened position having its top end opened and positioned to collect particulates and liquids moving downwardly along the front surface of the garment protector in use.
The garment protector may also be fabricated as a convertible food bag which is convertible into an adjustable disposable garment protector, the convertible food bag comprising a food bag having a front and a back, a first side and a second side, a top and a bottom, a disposable garment protector support adapted to support the disposable garment protector from the neck of a user, a pouch formed by a lower portion of the bag and having a top and a bottom end, a front and a back and being formed to fold to one of a closed position for storage and a second opened position having its top end open and a tearable perforation a cut or the like across the front, first side and second side of the bag above the top of the pouch so that the bag above the top of the pouch is foldable to a closed position to form a protector cover having a front surface and a back surface, a first side and a second side, a first and a second end and supported at its first end by the disposable garment protector support in a position covering a front portion of the chest and stomach of the user.
The garment protector may also be fabricated as a convertible food bag which is convertible into an adjustable disposable garment protector wherein the disposable garment protector support comprises a strap extending around a top portion of the first side, the second side and the back of the food bag with a portion of the strap extending in a downwardly extending loop on the front of the food bag.
The garment protector may also be fabricated as a convertible food bag which is convertible into an adjustable disposable garment protector wherein the disposable garment protector is supported at its second end by the top of the back of the pouch with the protector covering including at least one of:
a) a strip of a biasing material on its front surface or its back surface and positioned to bias the protector cover to a configuration to engage the front portion of the user, and
b) a strip of a biasing material positioned to engage the top of the pouch and the second end of the protector cover and to urge the protector cover toward the front portion of the chest and stomach of the user.